Building lath



A. P. WHITE.

BUILDING LATH- APPLICATION-FILED NOV. 29, 1916.

Patgnted Oct. M, 1922 'o oao 0 0 00 0 0 00 oo 0o 00 oo 00 /C' 7/ 3 MD].

00 0o 00 oo 00 09 I a novel "and useful non-metallic filler eleQ ment, which may be so distributed andar- 1 ALEXANDER r. WHITE, or cannwnnnnnw JERSEY.

BUILDING learn.

Application filed November 29, 1916. Serial no. 134,143.

To ttllwhomit'ma-y concern. i

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER P;- Vrrrrn, a citizen of the'IUnited States, residin at Caldwell in the county of Essex ,and gtat'e of New ersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Building Ilaths, of which the following is a specifica- This invention relates to a new and practical'building material particularly useful in fire proofing construction, especially adaptable as alathing for walls, partitions and the like.

Primarily the invention contemplates an improved building material of the character referred to which possesses lightness as well as strength and has many advarn tages structurally and commercially over the ordinary wooden lathing, and metal lathingl of the woven wire type. Accordingly, to this end the invention contemplates a novel combination of metallic and nonmetallic members to provide a lath-fabric which effectsgreat saving in metal.

In carrying the foregoing general objects into effect, the present invention has in view ranged throughout the entire structure as to materially reduce the quantity of metal used, while at the same time serving to partly cover the spaces between the metal members, thus presenting a surface that can be readily and economically plasteredwith a'minimum quantity of plastering material.

Furthermore, it is proposed to so construct the non-metallic elements of the lath that they will not be affected by moisture from the plastic wall or surfacing material, and

consequently will not warp or bulge in the Wall beforethe plaster is dry and produce objectionable undulations and consequent cracks such as are frequently caused by the buckling of some types of non-metallic lath materials. I

Another object of theinvention is to provide a fabricatedlathing structure, wherein the non-metallic filler members may be utilized as weft or warp membersin the woven fabric" in any desired number and arrangement, togetherwith ord1naryw1re weft and warp elements of the fabricpw 1 With the above andother objects in ,view

which will morereadily appear as the na- I at ture of the inventionis better understood,

combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed. i

Apreferred and practical. embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which responding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. i I

A lathing structure embodyingthe present invention generally includes the longitudinal warp members 1 having combined therewith a plurality of Weft members 2, and also the weft members or fillers 3 which are of a non-metallic character.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, it will be observed that the several' parts of the improved structure are adapted to be woven-or fabricated together by any suitable process or machine, and are usually assembled in the same structure by a simple weaving process. However, it will be understood that it is not the purpose of the present invention to be limited to any par-- ticular manner of assembling or combining the warp and weft members of the structure, nor to the number and arrangement of the metallic and non-metallic members employed, but the idea ofthe present invert tion is to provide a novel composite filler element which may be freely utilized to eliminate a considerable quantity of metal and at the same time provide a structure with improved capacityto receive and hold plaster. Therefore, the invention centers in the use of a fabricated lath structure includinga plurality of non-metallic filler elements 3 of novel character and form.

Primarily, each non-metallic or filler element8 is of relatively flat or slat-like formatiom being considerably wider than it is the same consists in the novel construction,

, Similar reference numerals designate corthick, and consists of the fibrous strip elements a and an intermediate cementitious or artificial stone core or body Z) as shown in Figure 3. The said outer fibrous elements a are preferably sheets of paper of suitable grade and thickness treated or painted. with a fireproofing and waterproofing composition, such, for instance, as an emulsion of ordinary paint and silicate of soda, which would also have the effect to add stiffness and strength to .the paper body. One or more sheets of paper may be utilized in forming the filler elements, but to insure stability, it is preferable to employ separate sheets consolidated with a cementitious comosition in the manner to be explained.

hat is to say, according to the present in vention, a preferable and convenient embodiment thereof involves the use of separate sheets of fibrous material designated by the reference letters aa in the drawings, which, regardless of the fact of whether or not they are preliminarily treated with the fire-proofing and water-proofing solution, are combined wit-h a layer of cementitious material intimately united thereto, and constituting a core or filling between the same. This intermediate artificial stone core or filling may consist of any suitable composition, such for instance, as a mixture of suitable proportions of asphaltum and silicate of soda which are thoroughly miscible to form a rigid homo geneous mass when hardened.

Heretofore, one of the chief objections to embodying non-metallic elements with metal elements in a lath-fabric, especially if the non-metallic elements were of a fibrous nature, has been the tendency of the fibrous material to absorb moisture from the plastic wall material, thus causing buckling and warplng which would distort the metallic elements, and cause the lath to buckle and bulge in the wall and produce an uneven surface. Accordingly, by way of eliminating the objection to the presence of nonmetallic elements in combination with metallic elements in a woven wire fabric, and still retain the advantages of the non-metallic elements, .it is proposed to provide the same with a multiplicity of perforations, such, for instance, as the relatively large openings 0, and the more numerous smaller openings d, whereby the body of fibrous material is materially reduced in each nonmetallic element of the lath, thereby not only reducingthe liability of moisture causing the fibrous sheets to buckle or warp, but at'the same time also providing key-openlugs for the plastic wall material.

Accordingly, it will be apparent that the non-metallic weft elements 3 are provided with a plurality of area-reducing openings, which break up the body of fibrous material in the non-metallic elements, o that ifv any moisture reaches the fibrous body it will have a relatively small body to act upon, and be without energy to swell enough to produce undulations in the wall. More over, the holes )ermit swelling to take place without distur ing the plaster body.

Referring now to Figure 4; of the draw ings, illustrating one manner of forming the fibrous filler or unit elements, it will be observed that the fibrous sheets H heretofore referred to, have consolidated there-- with the intermediate filling of cementitious material, which, when set and hardened constitutes a. substantial reinforcement of the filler element. After the outer facing sheets become united with the stonelike filling, the entire sheet of material may be a suitable cutting and punching operation, whereby the filler elements are cut therefrom, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, and the area-reducing openings are formed therein, or the paper sheets may be first perforated if that was found to be desirable. It will be understood that a. single piece of paper capable of being impregnated with cemcntitious material may be used instead of two sheets with the cementitious material between them.

In connection with the making of these non-metallic filler elements, it will, of course, be also understood that the composition of the filler may be varied to suit changing requirements of use and conditions of manufacture, nevertheless, the composition stated is entirely practical, and with regard to the fibrous elements, it may be noted that any heavy substantial paper may be utilized. The weft elements thus constructed present a reinforced and stiffened non-metallic member, which not only presents an extended plastic supporting area, but by reason of its relatively large and imperforate surface, offers an extremely efiicient plaster keying base, while at the same time contributing considerably to the strength and reinforcement of the entire fabric owing to the large area of frictional contact for engagement with the wire elements, as distinguished from a mere point of contact such as exists between the wire warp element and wire weft elements.

it ithout further description, it is thought that the many features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, and it will, of course, be understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lathing structure com rising interwoven metallic and non-meta lic members, each non-metallic member being of flat strip-like form, and consisting of outer water-proofed facing elements and an intermediate filler of artificial stone material, therebetween, and having a plurality of said member having therein a plurality of body-reducing openings therein. 10 body-reducing openings. In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my 2. A lathing structure comprising intersignature in the presence of tWo Witnesses. Woven metallic and non-metallic members, ALEXANDER P. WHITE. each non-metallic member consisting of Witnesses: outer Water-proofed paper facing elements, CHARLES REGHENBERG,

having artificial stone reinforcing cores JOSEPH B. H. MANDLY. 

